When San Diego musician Bruce Paul Allen decided to selflessly donate a kidney, he thought it would be a straightforward act of giving. Inspired by his sister's longstanding kidney challenges, as well as having friends and extended family with kidney disease, Allen felt called to help.
"It was a no-brainer for me," Allen said. "Through the National Kidney Registry's Family Voucher Program, I could donate a kidney to a stranger and, at the same time, secure a safety net for up to five people I love. With more than 90,000 people waiting for a transplant in the United States, that felt like something I could do that truly mattered."
Allen began the thorough evaluation process at the renowned Center for Transplantation at UC San Diego Health, the only academic kidney transplant program in the region. Allen's testing included blood work, stress tests, X-rays, and a CT scan. He expected to be cleared for surgery. Instead, he received life-changing news: doctors had discovered a tumor on his pancreas.
"Suddenly, I went from being a healthy individual trying to donate a kidney, to feeling like I was fighting for my life," Allen said. "If I hadn't started the donor process, I would have never known. I likely would not be alive today."
Additional testing confirmed the tumor on Allen's pancreas was benign but at high risk of becoming cancerous if left untreated. It would require immediate surgery to be removed.
Allen was referred to Andrew Lowy, MD, professor in the Department of Surgery and chief of the Division of Surgical Oncology at University of California San Diego School of Medicine and clinical director for cancer surgery at UC San Diego Health.
It was decided that Lowy would perform a Whipple procedure, one of the most challenging surgeries in pancreatic care. The operation removes the tumor along with part of the pancreas, small intestine, gallbladder, and bile duct, then reconnects the digestive system to restore normal function.
Allen underwent surgery in May 2024. His recovery was challenging, but with the support of his multidisciplinary care team at UC San Diego Health, including nurses and pain management specialists, he gradually regained his strength.
While Bruce's tumor was not cancerous, it carried a high likelihood of becoming malignant. Pancreatic cancer, the third leading cause of cancer death in the U.S., has just a 13% five-year survival rate, which emphasizes the importance of early detection and expert surgical care.
"Bruce's case is remarkable from a clinical standpoint," said Lowy. "His proactive approach to donation led to an early diagnosis of the tumor. His overall health allowed us to perform a lifesaving procedure. It's a powerful example of how early detection and expert care can change outcomes."
Moores Cancer Center at UC San Diego Health is the region's only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated comprehensive cancer center, a distinction held by fewer than 60 centers nationwide. UC San Diego Health is also recognized as a National Pancreas Foundation Center of Excellence for pancreatic cancer care, a designation for premier medical centers that provide high-quality, team-based approaches to pancreatic disease.
In addition, Moores Cancer Center is the clinical coordinating center for the Pancreatic Cancer Early Detection and Evaluation (PRECEDE) Consortium, the nation's largest early detection study of its kind for pancreatic cancer.
By spring 2025, Allen returned to the transplant center and asked the question that had been on his mind since the beginning: Could he still be a kidney donor?
"To my amazement, the answer was yes," Allen said. "After everything I had been through, it felt like life was giving me a second chance to give back."
After passing another full and thorough round of medical testing, Allen was cleared for donation. Just three weeks later, he gave his kidney to a stranger in need as an altruistic donor, completing the journey he had begun nearly two years earlier. He became the first patient at UC San Diego Health, and one of very few ever reported nationally, to successfully donate a kidney after undergoing a Whipple procedure to remove a precancerous pancreatic tumor.
“Bruce’s case is remarkable from a clinical standpoint. His proactive approach to donation led to an early diagnosis before the tumor cells had become invasive, and his overall health allowed us to perform a lifesaving procedure. It’s a powerful example of how early detection and expert care can change outcomes.”
— Andrew Lowy, MD, professor, Department of Surgery and chief of the Division of Surgical Oncology at UC San Diego School of Medicine and clinical director for cancer surgery at UC San Diego Health
This time, Allen was in the skillful hands of Jennifer Berumen, MD, director of living donor kidney transplant and surgeon at UC San Diego Health.
"Bruce's journey is extraordinary," said Berumen. "Successfully performing a living kidney donation after a complex procedure is extremely rare. It reflects the strength of the multidisciplinary approach with transplant medicine, surgical oncology, and pain management all working in close coordination at UC San Diego Health."
More than 3,600 kidney transplants have been performed at the Center for Transplantation at UC San Diego Health since 1968.
"Life is all about connection, loving and caring for others," Allen said. "I was able to help someone I'll probably never meet, and at the same time, I get to spread the word about the importance of early detection for pancreatic cancer. Even if you do not qualify, you'll learn more about your own health than you ever imagined."
Today, as Allen continues to heal, he is recording and performing music with his bandmates, spending quality time with his family, and advocating for both pancreatic cancer awareness and organ donation. His story is a testament to the generosity of organ donation and the extraordinary expertise available at UC San Diego Health.
"I hope my journey encourages others to see the incredible impact one person can make as a donor," said Allen.
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